Author: R. Bucolo

Download article as .pdf: A Marble Head in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek of Copenhagen. Emperor Nerva’s Provincial Portraits between Sculpture and Coins

The paper analyses a portrait head currently held at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen, which, according to the Museum’s documentation, is probably from Rhodes. The portrait has been published since its acquisition and has undergone varying interpretations over the decades. Initially, it was identified as that of the emperor Nerva, but later, it was preferably attributed to a private citizen of the late 1st – early 2nd century AD. The heavily polished artwork has distinctive facial features and hairstyles. The physiognomic peculiarity provides a basis for comparison with the portrait of Nerva on coins minted in Rhodes during his short reign. The image of this emperor is rare, with significant variations due to the recutting of Domitian’s portraits. This paper provides a brief overview of the presence and characteristics of Nerva’s image in the provinces of the Roman Empire through the analysis of various media.